Article of furniture.



S. T. WHITAKER.

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1911 Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WITNESSES s. T. WHITAKER. ARTICLE OF FURNITURE. APPLICATION FILEDJUNBZB, 1911' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

I) INVEZDVZf 7 WITNESSES S. T. WHITAKER.

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1911.

1,055, 1 09. Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

4 SHEBTBBHEET 4.

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UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

SAMUEL T. WHITAKER, 0F COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, ASSIG-NOR OF 0NE-THIRD TOTHOMAS W. BATES AND ONE-THIRD TO EDWARD B. REED, BOTH OF COLUMBUS,GEORGIA.

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE.

i To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL T. WHITAKER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county ofMuscogee and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Articles of Furniture; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in furniture and particularly tocabinets of the convertible type, and an essential object in view is theprovision of means for assembling in the form of a neat, compact cabinetcooperating elements for enabling the shifting of certain ofsuch'elements from, the closed cabinet condition to a condition fordirect access.

\Vith this and other detailed objects in view as will hereinafter inpart become 0bvious, and in part be stated, the invention comprisescertain n'ovel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts asare herein set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing,Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cabinetillustrating one embodiment of the present invention, the parts being intheir folded or closed position. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the samewith the parts in their open position, a chest of shelves and a wardrobebeing illustrated as the two receptacles comprising the movable elementsof the cabinet. Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-section taken on the planeindicated by line 3, 3, of Fig. 1 looking downwardly, one of thereceptacles being indicated in dotted lines in its open position, andthe bottom run-ways being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. l is avertical longitudinal section taken on the plane in dicated by line 4,l, of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on aplane between the lower end of the movable receptacles and the uppersurface of the runway plate at the bottom of the cabinet, the

run-way plate with its run-ways being seenin top plan. Fig. (3 is aperspective view similar to Fig. 2 except that a bed and its containingcasing is substituted in one of the receptacles while the otherreceptacle is illustrated as divided to serve both as a wardrobe and achest of shelves. Fig. 7 is a view in front elevation of the bed and itscasing de- Speeification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 28, 1911.

Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

Serial No. 635,825.

tached, the bed being seen in its folded position. Fig. 8 is alongitudinally vertical section theretln-ough with the bed in itsunfolded or extended position and the bed operating mechanism shown inelevation, a part only of the bed being seen in section. Fig. 9 is adetailed elevation of a modified form of bed actuating gear. Fig. 10 isan enlarged detailed vertical section through a fragment of the cabinetillustrating certain of the guiding elements, the section being taken onthe plane indicated by line 10-10 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, 1 indicates a cabinet housinghaving a top, bottom and back and having sides terminating approximatelyone-half way of the width of the top and bottom, the front portion ofthe housing being left open except for a supporting strip or standard 2connecting the top and bottom of the housing. Thus the rear portion ofthe housing is closed in while the front portion is substantially open,the opening being divided laterally into open spaces 3, 3, and throughwhich may be projected structures contained by the cabinet housing. Thebottom and top guide plates 5, 6, are fixed to the respective bottom andtop of the housing and each is formed with guiding grooves 8, 8,extending from front to rear on a straight line substantially parallelwit-h the sides of the housing, the front end of each groove 8 openinginto an arcuate groove 10, preferably a quadrant, terminating at itsouter end coincident with the outer end of the respective groove 8 andcurving thence inwardly and laterally to a point adjacent the line ofthe middle of the housing, the inner end of each groove 10, beingadjacent the corresponding end of the other groove 10 in the respectiveplate 5, 6.

Slidingly mounted and adapted to be moved within the cabinet housing arereceptacles, 11, 19, which are relatively identical in structuralformation but bear the relation of right and left with respect to eachother and to the cabinet. Each of these receptacles is formed of top,bottom, back and end pieces and has an open side for facility of access.The top and bottom pieces are slotted longitudinally as at 13, 13, forforming guide ways into which project the upstanding and depending pinsor studs 15, 10, projecting from the plates 5, 0, for guiding thereceptacles in their movements. The

pins 15, 16, are disposed adjacent the front edges of plates 5, 6, andthe slots 13, 13, extend substantially throughout the length of thereceptacles. The slots 13 thus serve as run-ways or guiding means, andeach receptacle 11, 12, is formed with pins 14, fixed to its upper andlower end and projecting outwardly theret-hrough into the grooves 8 forbeing guided thereby. To eliminate friction each pin 14 may carry ananti-friction roller 17 and rollers 18 are j ournaled in the plate 5adjacent the pins 15, 16, for sustaining the weight of the respectivereceptacle 11, 12. In Fig. 10, I have indicated slot 13 as not going allthe way through the material to the bottom of the receptacle, and it isobvious that the depth of the slot is immaterial so long as suflicientroom is provided for accommodating the projecting end of the guiding pin16. Each slot 13 extends throughout the length of the respectivereceptacle and terminates adjacent the end Walls thereof, and the pinslt of the respective receptacles are disposed in the bottom and top ofthe receptacle in the same relative position to the inner end wall, andat the op posite side of the respective receptacle so that thereceptacle may be moved as hereinafter described to the desired positionby reason of the relation of the slots 13 to the grooves 8 and 10 andthe pins 14, the inner end of each groove 10 terminating 1n thelongitudinal plane of the cabinet housing occupied by the respectivepins 15, 16. In other words the inner end of each slot 10 1s on a directline straight in the rear of the respective pin 15, 16.

Each receptacle 11, 12, may have such internal arrangement or containsuch elements as may be preferred according to the use to which thecabinet is to be adapted, and as illustrating one such arrangement Ihave shown receptacle 12 as provided with brackets 23 and hangers 22 forsustaining articles of clothing, and this particular receptacle may besaid to be fitted out as a wardrobe. Receptacle 11 may likewise befitted out in various ways, as for instance by being provided withshelving 21 forming a chiffonnier, or, as seen in Figs. 6 to 9inclusive, a bed structure may be provided for the receptacle and thisinternal arrangement for the receptacle may be considered as mypreferred embodiment in which case the other receptacle is preferablyarranged to serve both as a wardrobe and shelf cabinet or chi ffonnier.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, the receptacle 12is provided with shelving 21 and a suitable partition leaving a wardrobespace, while the receptacle 11 is provided with an interior casing orframing 12 adapted to sustain the bed structure. In Figs. 7 and 8, Ihave illustrated the casing 12 and its connected parts as removed fromthe respective receptacle, and it is obvious that the casing 12 may befixed within the receptacle if desired or in any way suitably connectedthereto, but the disclosure is facilitated by illustration of the casing12 and its cooperating parts detached from the cabinet itself. The bedframe structure 26 has its inner end pivotally engaged by a transverserod 28 whose ends project into arcuate slots 33 formed in the side wallsof casing 12 forming a guiding and limiting means for the frame 26. Theextreme inner end portion of the frame 26 extends beyond the shaft orrod 22 and a shaft 29 extends therethrough and has its outer endportions bent into crank shape and extending past rod 28 with theterminals or the wrist pin parts of the crank extending through the sidewalls of the casing 12 and forming journals 31, 32. The crank-like endportions of rod 29 give to the entire rod a sort of U-shape and one ofthe projecting ends of the journals is preferably fixedly engaged by anoperating lever 30 adapted for rocking the rod 29 upon its journals. Thecrank-like portions of rod 29 thus constitute practical continuations ofthe lever 30 on the opposite side from its pivot, whereby, while theleverage is reduced, the purchase on the bed frame is in creased. Theframe 26 is thus adapted to be lowered or elevated with a pivotalmovement swinging on the journals 31, 32, as the axis of movement andbeing limited in its extent of movement either upwardly and inwardly ordownwardly and outwardly by the rod 28, the end portions of which engagethe ends of the slots 33 at the terminations of possible movements ofthe bed frame. The shaft 29 is rigidly fixed to the frame 26 so as toinsure the required pivotal movement thereof and for avoidinglongitudinal outward thrust of the bed frame as might occur otherwise.The rod 28 also serves to prevent outward movement of the bed, and toinsure the requisite pivot-a1 movement thereof, the end portions of therod 28 guiding the bed frame and preventing any longitudinal thrust ofthe bed frame by the engagement of the rod with the side walls of theslots 3, 3. The lever 30 may be retained in either its lower or elevatedposition, for correspondingly retaining the frame 26, by any of thevarious suitable locking devices as for instance, a

toothed sector 34 engaged by spring pressed locking pawl 35 carried bylever 30, the sector 34- being fixedly connected to the side wall ofcasing 12. Obviously, other forms of operating means may be provided, asfor instance as seen in Fig. 9, journal 31 may be engaged by a fixedlyconnected pinion 36 meshing with a segmental rack 37 which in turn ispivotally sustained by a pivot pin 37 connected to the side wall of thecasing.

An operating lever 38 is fixed to rack 37 for swinging the same aboutthe pivot 37 as an axis, whereby the pinion 36 may be rotated and thebed thus lowered or elevated. Preferably the lever 30 is jointed at anintermediate point for facility of collapsing when it is desired torender the parts compact, or to get the lever out of the way when thebed is ready for use as seen in Fig. (5.

The outer end of the bed is adapted to be sustained when the bed islowered in any of various ways, as for instance, by a pivotal footconsisting of a plate 27 extending substantially throughout the width ofthe outer end of the bed and having ears 27 extending upwardly betweenthe sides of frame 26 and pivotally engaging a rod 27 fixed to frame 26transversely thereof. The foot piece is thus free to swing verticallyand will assume a vertical position so as to sustain the bed frame whenthe frame is in its lowered position, or when the bed is elevated to avertical position, the foot piece will swing vertically to the positionindicated in Fig. 7 and lie substantially entirely within the planes ofthe frame 26.

Obviously, the bed is designed to be swung to its closed or foldedposition for lying within the casing 12 which fits more or less snuglywithin the respective receptacle.

WVhen the parts are in the position indicated in Fig. l, and it isdesired to gain access to one of the receptacles, say 11, a suitablyprovided handle on the receptacle is grasped, and the receptacle isdrawn outwardly on a straight line as far as it will come outwardlyeasily, that is, until the pins 14 strike the outer ends of the guidinggrooves 8, and the pins 15 strike the inner ends of the slots 13.Thereupon the outer edge portion of the receptacle may be movedlaterally to the left, swinging the recep tacle on the pins as a pivot.During its swinging movement the pins 14 travel backwardly in an arcuatepath provided by the grooves 10, and this pivotal movement of thereceptacle is continued until the pin 14: strikes the inner end of thegroove 10. At this point the receptacle will be substan tially at rightangles to the position previously occupied by it and will have its openside exposed for affording free access to the interior of thereceptacle. The operation of the receptacle 12 is identical with this,except, of course, that it swings to the right instead of to the left.The return movement merely consists in swinging the receptacle back toan alined or front position during which the receptacle swings on pin 15as a pivot while the pin 14: moves along the grooves 10, and when thereceptacle has arrived at the alined position the pin 14 will be in linewith groove 8. Thereupon the receptacle may be slid inwardly beingguided in its inward movement by the pin 14: traveling in the roove 8,and the slot 13 controlled by the fixed pin 15.

hat I claim is In an article of manufacture, the combination of ahousing having guiding plates at its upper and lower ends, a receptacledisposed between said plates and extending longitudinally thereof, saidreceptacle being slidingly mounted to be slid longitudinally from aposition within the outlines of said housing to a position extendingsubstantially for the full length of the receptacle outside the housing,the receptacle being also adapted to be swung from such outstandingposition laterally to a position with one of the faces of the receptaclesubstantially flush with the front face of the housing, the guidingplates being formed each with a longitudinalgroove extendingsubstantially from its rear end to its front end and with an arcuategroove extending from the front end of the longitudinal grooverearwardly and laterally substantially for a quarter of a circlerepresenting the path traveled by one corner of the receptacle whenbeing swung laterally, pins extending upwardly and downwardly from thesaid corner of the receptacle into said grooves for guiding thereceptacle in its movement, the receptacle being formed at its upper andlower ends with longitudinal grooves along its space from thefirst-mentioned grooves substantially for the full width of thereceptacle, the second-mentioned grooves being disposed parallel to thefirst mentioned grooves when the receptacle is disposed entirely withinthe housing, and guiding pins extending from the guiding plates upwardlyand downwardly into the grooves of the receptacle for guiding the sameduring reciprocal movement thereof and for serving as a pivot duringlateral swinging of the receptacle, said last mentioned pins beingdisposled adjacent the outer face of the receptac e.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL T. WHITAKER. Witnesses:

G. H. Fnsnnn, Geo. B. Prr'rs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). O.

